


The lies we tell

by violetbear



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, POV Alternating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:40:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26069629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violetbear/pseuds/violetbear
Summary: After the cave Scott called it quits. And he was fine with that decision. Totally fine. He's a horrible liar. As is Reyes.
Relationships: Male Ryder | Scott/Reyes Vidal
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Angst, angst, and more angst. I think this is my angstest story yet. Enjoy.

He wasn't moping. No, sir, he wasn't. And he wasnt hiding in his room either. His room was where his computer was and he had a huge back load of paperwork to get through. And hundreds of unread emails. Including at least ten new ones from Reyes. He moved the newest one unread to the folder he had created. He didn't want to read them but he also couldn't bring himself to delete them. Maybe one day he would read them. After he had worked out how he'd let himself get fooled so easily. 

Reyes had been so sweet and charming. Really charming, if he was being honest. He'd made him forget his burdens. He was able to relax him completely. Which is why he missed all the signs that Reyes was hiding something. Missed them deliberately. Not that he'd thought being the Charlatan was the secret. Until Reyes stepped out of the shadows and it made total sense. He would have figured it out faster if SAM had told him he'd figured out who the Charlatan was.

"Pathfinder."  
"Thought I told you to shut it. You seemed perfectly happy keeping the identity of the Charlatan quiet so you can continue to keep quiet."  
"It's been three months."  
"Shut. Up. Got it, SAM? I don't want to here from you unless it's something work related. Got it?" No answer. Good. He opened his next email. 

"You know, some would consider that a sign of craziness", he heard Gil say behind him.  
"What", he asked, not taking his eyes off the screen. Tate was asking for help again. That wasn't happening.  
"Arguing with yourself."  
"I'm arguing with SAM." He forwarded the email to Hayjer. "What do you need?"

"To be able to do my job."  
"Who's stopping you?"  
"You are."  
"What?" He finally turned in his chair to look at Gil. "How am I stopping you?"  
"I'm on a wait list for certain parts from the Nexus. Parts this ship needs to keep running."  
"I'll call Addison later."  
"Or we could do what we used to do and buy them on Kadara."

"No." He turned back to his computer. "I'll get you those parts. Send me a list."  
"Vetra also needs-."  
"We are not going to that planet. See if Hayjer can help her."  
"So you're just going to avoid him for the rest of your life?"  
"Yes. Maybe. I don't know." He put his head in his hands. Three months. Shouldn't he be over him by now? Shouldn't he stop dreaming of him every night? Missing his voice. His touch. His smell.

"I'm pathetic", he groaned.  
"Bout time you realized that."  
"You shouldn't agree with your boss when he says that."  
"Im agreeing with my friend. I saw you two together a few times. Reyes cared about you. I'd even go so far as to say he loved you. Probably still does."  
"And yet he lied to me."  
"Which was a horrible thing to do. But so is running away and avoiding the entire planet forever. The Intiative abandoned them once. Thought we were trying to be better than that."

"I hate that you're right."  
"You should also sit down with Reyes."  
"And now I think you're crazy." He raised his head and turned back to Gil.  
"I didn't say you were crazy. Said some people might. Go to Tartarus. Talk to him. Then you can get past it."  
"And if I can't?"  
"We'll be here to help you pick up the pieces."  
"Because you've all helped so much these last three months", he pointed out, crossing his arms.  
"You needed a chance to mope. But your moping has now affected not only your job but ours as well. Tell Kallo to head for Kadara." Gil walked out of the room before sticking his head back in. "Or I'm breaking the ship." 

He groaned. He hated to admit it but Gil was right. He had been moping around the ship these past months. Not eating. Not sleeping. Lexi was mad at him. And now it seemed his crew was going to mutiny if he didn't do something. Well, he would call it a mutiny. They would call it looking out for him. He didn't deserve them. Especially not when his avoiding Kadara was making their jobs harder. Okay. Fine. He would go to Kadara. But only so Gil and Vetra could get what they needed. He wouldn't leave the ship. And he for sure wasn't telling that man he was coming.


	2. Chapter 2

Reyes opened his email before closing it immediately. What was the point? Scott hadn't answered any of the emails he sent him these past three months. He wasn't even sure if he had read them. And it wasn't like he was begging Scott to forgive him in every one. Only about a quarter of them were like that. The rest dealt with the outpost. He had promised to keep Scott informed. But what was the point of it all? Scott had left Kadara right after Sloane's death and he had yet to return. 

He missed him. Still, he missed him. His bed had never felt so empty. When he actually slept in it, that is. He spent most of his nights in his room at Tartarus and the seemingly endless supply of whiskey there. He didn't so much sleep as pass out most nights. On those nights, he didn't dream. Which was a good thing as all his dreams were of Scott. Why hadn't he listened to Keema and told Scott everything? Maybe he would still be able to call Scott his if he had.

"This is just pathetic, boss", Kian said, as he walked in.  
"Didn't ask for your opinion. Just leave the whiskey and go."  
"I would but I have news you probably want to hear."  
"What?"  
"A certain Pathfinder's ship just landed at the docks. Do you-." He didn't stay to hear anymore. He stood up and ran from the room instead. He ran all the way to the elevator and paced impatiently as it climbed.

Scott was here. After the longest three months of his life, Scott had returned to Kadara with no warning. Or had he missed something? He scrolled through his emails. No, he hadn't. The last email from Scott had been received when he was a day away from his last visit. That last visit that had changed everything between them. He didn't bother to open it. He never could until he was almost passed out. The sweet words didn't hurt so much then.

Finally, the elevator reached the top and he discovered Kian had been right. The Tempest sat there, looking just as beautiful as the last time she was here. Now what should he do? Try to get aboard? No. Scott had probably blocked his access. So he should-.  
"Just the man I'm looking for." He turned and studied the man who had managed to sneak up on him.   
"Gil. What are you doing off ship?"  
"Getting parts for her. Do you know what you are going to do right now?"  
"No idea." Mope around the docks until a certain someone emerged. 

"You are going to walk onto that ship and go to Scott's room."  
"No, I'm going to try and be denied because I no longer have access."  
"I reinstated you."  
"You did? Why?"  
"Because he's moped long enough. And I bet you have too. You two need to sit down and figure this out. If that means you both agree you shouldn't see each other again then fine. But you need to talk." He pointed toward the ship. "So go talk. Now."


	3. Chapter 3

Scott lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling.   
"How long did Gil and Vetra say they needed?"  
"At least six hours." Anybody else probably would have missed the change of tone from SAM but he didn't. Could be because of how connected they were. SAM was concerned and about to lecture him. Which he so didn't need right now. But after ignoring him for almost three months, he figured he owed him. "You could get off the ship too."

"I'm good here." Reyes couldn't find him here. He'd taken away his access to enter the ship as soon as he got back that day. And as much as his crew were trying to help, none of them would dare change that or be able to. "Maybe I'll have a nap. Then Lexi will stop lecturing me."  
"You can't avoid him forever."  
"Can't I?" He sighed. "No, I can't. But let me do this my way, okay? Baby steps, SAM. Today, we're on Kadara. Let's leave leaving the ship for next time."

"So there will be a next time? You're done avoiding me?" No. It couldn't be. He sat up to see Reyes standing just inside the room, leaning against the closed and locked door. On his closed and locked to him ship.  
"How did you-. Get off my ship", he ordered, pointing toward the door. "Right now. Before I throw you off. SAM, call Drack here."  
"Drack is off the ship. Along with everyone else." Wait, what? He'd never been the only one on the ship. Had they planned this?  
"Who let you on board?" Whoever it was, they were fired.

"I'm not telling you how I got on the ship. It could be someone let me on." He walked over to the bed, with that smug smart ass smile on his face. How he hated him. How did he ever think he cared about him at all? "It could be I found a way past your defenses myself." Wouldn't have been the first time. "Not the first time I did that." Stupid mind reading jerk. He flopped back down onto the bed.  
"You found your way on so you can find your way off. Right now." He knew he was being childish about this but he didn't care. No one was here to judge him. SAM, you'd better stay quiet. "I don't have anything to say to you."  
"Then you can listen."

Fine. He'd listen. But it wouldn't change a thing. He listened as Reyes sighed and sat down on the bed. He shifted over to leave more space. He didn't know what would happen if he touched him and he didn't want to find out.  
"Scott." He felt Reyes touch his arm a split second before his biotics activated, enveloping him completely. "A bit of a overreaction, don't you think, my love?" His love?! Okay, that was it. He couldn't stay silent anymore. He sat up and pulled his arm away.

"You lied to me. A lie by omission is still a lie. Both you and SAM did. I'm not your love. I don't love you. Not anymore. I want you to leave now!" He biotically threw Reyes away. He hit the wall hard enough to make a sound before falling to his knees. "Oh, shit." He leapt off the bed and hurried to Reyes's side, dropping to his knees beside him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"  
"I deserved that", Reyes laughed before wincing. "Ouch though."

"Are you okay?" He ran his hands over him, feeling for any broken bones. Damn it. He should have had better control. It had been a long time since he lost control like that. "I can get Lexi here." No, she was probably off ship too. "I can call her. Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine, Scott. Nothing broken but my pride. You could help me-." He didn't let him finish talking before he was helping him to his feet and carefully helping him sit on the bed. "Thanks." Reyes grabbed his hand and pulled him down beside him. "I'm fine, baby. Stop hovering."

"I'm sorry." He had wanted Reyes to hurt but not like this. "I'm so sorry."  
"Scott, hush. I told you, I'm fine. Consider it my penance for hurting you. I never meant to not tell you. But every time I tried, it didn't seem the right time. It didn't seem the type of thing I should tell you as pillow talk and one of us was always urgently needed the morning after." He sighed. "I'm lying. I never wanted to tell you until it was done. I thought that you wouldn't understand. That you wouldn't love the real me. That you wouldn't be mine anymore."

"Oh, Reyes. I was mad at you. Very mad. But not because you turned out to be the Charlatan. I think part of me worked it out myself. SAM certainly did and didn't saw anything. I was mad at him too. I was mad because you didn't tell me. You lied to me. Again and again. And you wanted the perfect time? Umi gave it to you when we were trying to find Zia. You could have pulled me aside and told me then. But you didn't. Reyes, the last time someone lied to me as you did, it ended my alliance career. My whole life in shambles with no choice but to come here if I wanted any kind of life not constantly under suspicion." He leaned his head on Reyes's shoulder. "You were my first selfish decision in this galaxy."

"And you were mine." Reyes kissed the top of his head. "I'm sorry I thought finding out would ruin us. I should have told you. I ended up ruining us anyway."  
"We're not ruined. I wanted us to be. It wouldn't have hurt so much if I actually hated you. Would have been able to sleep if I hated you."  
"You're not alone. I haven't been sleeping either. Called myself all manner of stupid too."

"So what do we do now?" He wasn't mad anymore but he shouldn't forgive Reyes so easily. Should he? Could he?  
"Don't know. You still hate me?"  
"I never hated you. I missed you. Missed what we had."  
"Missed you too. And if you're willing to take me back, I promise there will be no more lies between us. No more secrets."  
"No."  
"Okay", Reyes said, after a pause before standing. "I'll see you around, Pathfinder." He was halfway toward the door before he grabbed his hand, stopping him.

"Don't go."  
"But you said-."  
"Not to us. I meant you'll always have secrets. It's part of your job. Just no more hiding the big stuff. Okay?" Reyes smiled. Oh, how he had missed his smile.  
"What did I do to deserve you, my love?"  
And then he was taking him into his arms and kissing him. Everything was perfect. Well, except for one thing.

"Reyes." What the man could do to him simply by kissing him. His lips on his neck were pure heaven. "Hon, stop."  
"Why?"  
"Your arms are the only thing keeping me standing right now."  
"Oh." Reyes placed one more kiss on his cheek before starting to guide him backwards. "I have a solution to that."  
"Oh?" He laughed as his legs hit the bed, making him sit. "Getting me into bed is your solution? Don't we usually do other things before we sleep?"

"Thanks to the love of a good man, I am a changed man. I'm going to do everything different from now on." He kissed the top of his head. "Lie down, baby." He listened to him, smiling as Reyes laid down beside him.  
"I like this new you."  
"Thought you might. Hush now, my love. Close your eyes." Reyes pulled him close. He rested his head on his chest and closed his eyes. Six hours later, they opened their eyes on a new beginning.


End file.
